Solar thermal panels need their surface to be clean in order to ensure full operation and maximum efficiency. Any kind of dirt that may be on the surface of the panel (ex. dust, pollen, tree sap, bird droppings, sand, salt crystals, etc.), will reduce the footprint of the sun's rays, thus reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the cells, so the panel will produce less energy.

To the naked eye, the panels may appear clean, however, there will be dirt accumulated even if it is just the air pollution itself. A simple test to see if your panel is in need of cleaning is to wipe the surface of the panel with a white cloth or some absorbent cotton before the actual cleaning.

According to recent studies, when a solar panel is (very) dirty it can lose up to 50% of its efficiency compared to a clean solar panel. However, an energy loss of 10 to 15% can be observed in panels with regular dirt.

In fact, rain, snow, or wind alone does not wash the solar panels, because wind carries particles, snow because it blocks sunlight, and rainwater because it is slightly acidic and, when it dries, leaves behind bruises that quickly attract dirt again, making the solar system less efficient.

A simple way to illustrate why the weather alone does not wash the solar panels is to look at the windshield of your vehicle. If you leave your car windshield dirty for too long, you will lose visibility due to accumulated dirt, but thanks to the cleaner you apply and the windshield wiper, you can wash the glass and regain visibility in no time!

Thus, solar panels are like the windshield of your vehicle, except that they do not have the solar panel washer fluid or associated windshield wipers readily available.

Normally products with neutral pH, tested by international laboratories, and which are approved by the panel manufacturers themselves rule out any negative effect of their use on washing solar panels. In short, in order for the warranty on your solar panel to remain valid, you should use solar panel cleaners that meet the requirements of the manufacturers (such as S-Thermal Cleaner).

The S-Thermal Cleaner antistatic cleaning and protection solution effectively removes bird droppings, dust, ash, pollen, salt, cement dust, lichen, and any other kind of dirt.

ChemiTek recommends using between 105mL and 206mL per m² of solar thermal glass. For example, if you have a solar thermal panel with 1 m² surface area, the usage per solar panel is between 105mL and 206mL, but if you have solar thermal panels with 2 m² surface area, the usage per solar panel will be between 210mL and 412mL.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

S-Thermal Cleaner, as a cleaning product, in addition to efficiently removing different types of dirt, does not allow it to adhere so easily to the surface of the solar panel, due to its antistatic property. Therefore, by preventing the panels from getting dirty more quickly, it prevents a rapid decrease in the solar panel's power generation. Since dirt does not stick to the surface of the panel, in subsequent cleanings you will notice an easier and faster removal of dirt.

This washing and protection solution for solar thermal panels is compatible with all cleaning methods and equipment available on the market today (e.g. hand brush, rotary brush or similar, robot, tractor with brush, on-off hose or hoses with flow regulating capabilities, and vans with a water tank for rinsing).

Yes, when applying the S-Thermal Cleaner solution with equipment that eventually induces pressure at the outlet you should adjust it to adjust the amount of foam produced or, in specific cases, contact the supplier for further recommendations or suggestions.